There is growing interest to use hydrogen as a transportation fuel in cars, buses, trucks, and other vehicles. Hydrogen is generally stored in a fuel tank on-board the vehicles at high pressure. After most of the on-board hydrogen has been depleted, the pressure of the hydrogen in the fuel tank is reduced and the fuel tank must be refueled (refilled to a target pressure) with hydrogen.
Hydrogen may be supplied from high pressure storage vessels and/or liquid storage vessels. The cost of supplying an amount of hydrogen can depend on whether the source is liquid or compressed gas. Industry desires to supply hydrogen to fuel tanks on-board vehicles in a cost effective manner.
Industry desires improved methods and improved equipment for compressed gas dispensing.
Industry desires improved utilization of storage vessels used to transport compressed gas from a supply depot to a dispensing station, thereby reducing the frequency of transport of the compressed gas storage vessels.
Industry desires to reduce the use of compressors at dispensing stations due to required maintenance of compressors and power requirements of compressors.
Industry desires reliable supply of compressed gas at compressed gas dispensing stations.
The present invention may also be useful for dispensing other compressed gases such as natural gas.